Christmas

I love Christmas especially with kids. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday and there is even more magic seeing it all through your children's eyes. I have loved all the fun holiday things we have done this month. Christmas Eve and Christmas day were quieter this year with just our little family and Nona and Pops but still so fun and joyful.

Annual Sunday before Christmas pictures- these two are so beautiful on the inside and out.

Christmas Eve we kept busy until the night time festivities. The day before we made some cinnamon salt ornaments and the girls painted them. I decided to hide them throughout the yard and made a little scavenger hunt for the girls to find them. 

Also for the part of the day and for the past week, Paige has been super busy with making presents. I love the sign that she put on her door. She is one that truly has the Christmas Spirit and loves to give.

Then we also made some chocolate chip cookies for Santa. Paige pretty much did it all and Baylor was happy to be the taste tester at each stage of the mixing.

Then it was finally time for the Christmas Eve fun to begin and it started with the lighting of this awesome Santa candle that we found at the thrift store a little bit ago.

Then it was sandwich time! I love this tradition and it is something I look forward to every year.

Signing the board

Sandwich making

This year we did a zoom with everyone else in the family to see their sandwiches and sing the traditional song before each of us carrying our own sandwiches around the house. I wish we could be together and hopefully next year at least some of us will be able to get together.

Paige created this invitation and gave it to us a couple of days ago. After dinner, Paige planned a fun little party for us in the back room.

First Paige created this pin the ornament on the tree. We each created two ornaments that we got to pin on the tree.

Then we had a special treat which was the cookies we made earlier and the surprise was Paige played two Christmas songs on the piano that she has been practicing for the past month.

We then watched the video the "Christ Child" which is amazing and then it was time for what Baylor has been waiting for all month- opening presents. We opened some of our gifts from each other and we also opened gifts from Nona and Pops. We felt very loved and it was fun to see everyone's reactions. Baylor loved everything about opening presents and would say the cutest things and have the hardest time waiting her turn. Paige was happy with everything she got and was excited about all the details of the night. Paige and Baylor then opened up their Christmas pjs, we had an eggnog toast, the girls sprinkled some glitter on the front yard to help the reindeer see our house better, and we set out milk and cookies for Santa.  

Paige created the cutest gift for Baylor that was Peppa Pig themed. She has been searching every time she goes to the thrift store with Nate. She found a Peppa Pig t-shirt, a Peppa stuffed animal, she made the cutest paper doll Peppa Pig with three different outfits and also this idea that she came up with months ago. She has been collecting tags since Baylor loves the tag on her blanket and created this Peppa and Suzy square with lots of taggies for Baylor to enjoy. 

Two cute girls in their new Christmas pajamas.

Then it was finally the big day! Christmas morning was so much fun. The girls were spoiled by Santa and they loved opening all of their presents. 

Baylor

Baylor again had a hard time waiting her turn and made the funniest faces when we said she had to wait or had a hard time ripping wrapping paper off a gift. She is one funny girl with the best expressions. 

Paige

Christmas chaos and mess but oh so much fun!

The rest of the day was spent playing with toys and I did some food prep for Christmas dinner. Baylor loved her sink that pours out water. She loves to play in the water and having cups and dishes to pretend wash added even more fun. She also tried out her painting sets and was just in Christmas heaven. The next day she asked if Santa was going to come again that day. :) Paige was content setting up and organizing all the things she got and doing some of the crafts she got and also just loved the whole day. 

I made a raspberry pretzel salad for dinner and knew the girls wouldn't like it so I made these layers Jell-O cups for the girls It took a lot of time but they turned out so pretty and the girls thought they were so fancy. 

Our Santa candle after the two days.

We ended our day with a video chat with Grandma and Poppy to open the presents from them. Then we took some pictures of all the gifts we got. We sure were given so much and feel so grateful for family and for our Savior at this time of year.

Nate and I's gifts

Paige and all of her gifts.

Baylor and all of her gifts.

Merry Christmas!